The three-part TV programme, produced by the same company behind Depp vs. Heard, will ‘cast new light on the case that has captured the world’s attention for decades’ say experts

Princess Diana, the Princess of Wales at a gala reception and preview of her dresses auction at Christie’s in London

 Antony Jones/Getty Images
No royal tragedy has captured the public’s hearts and minds quite like the shocking death of Princess Diana, who was killed in a car crash in Paris alongside Dodi Al Fayed in August 1997.

It is little surprise, then, that a new, three-part series about the events leading up to that awful moment is currently in the works. Who Killed Diana? will be produced by EverWonder Studio, which is teaming up with Empress Films on the project – the same company behind hit Netflix documentaries Depp vs. Heard and The Mystery of Marilyn Monroe.

The series will reportedly explore the circumstances surrounding Diana’s death, featuring rare – and in some cases, exclusive – interviews with a handful of key sources, who are allegedly connected to the accident. According to Deadline, ‘it will cast new light on the case that has captured the world’s attention for decades’.

Princess Diana captured the hearts and minds of the public, and her untimely death has long been a point of interest

Who Killed Diana? will be the first of a broader franchise between EverWonder and Empress, as the two studios collaborate on a collection of documentaries focused on the shocking deaths of iconic figures. Each series will focus on one individual, hoping to uncover new information while examining the human and historical context.

‘Exploring legendary women through investigative journalistic documentaries is a passion of mine,’ says Emma Cooper, award-winning film-maker and founder of Empress. ‘Just as we did with The Mystery of Marilyn Monroe, we’ve taken a story the world thought it knew and uncovered hidden truths. I am committed to approaching this beloved and iconic woman’s story with fresh perspectives, new voices, and previously untold information.’

Princess Diana in 1988, during her visit to the Footscray Park in suburb of Melbourne

 PATRICK RIVIERE/Getty Images
Jon Adler, head of talent and content development at EverWonder, said that the two companies both ‘set a high bar for covering perplexing events through unprecedented access and premium storytelling,’ adding that the new franchise would aim to ‘actively drive’ cases forward with ‘new voices and fresh insight’.

The events surrounding Princess Diana’s death have long been subject to scrutiny and discussion. What we know is that the Princess arrived in Paris with Dodi Al Fayed, her boyfriend, after 10 days together aboard Mohamed Al Fayed’s yacht, which was sailing just off the coast of Sardinia. The pair touched down in France on 30 August, with Diana due to fly home to London just 24 hours later to greet her sons, who were returning from a summer holiday at Balmoral.

Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed in the French Riviera resort of St Tropez on 22 Aug 1997

 Associated Press / Alamy Stock Photo
The couple arrived in the city of love at around 3pm, and went from the airport to Villa Windsor, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor’s former home that Mohammed Al Fayed had purchased. From there, they went to the Ritz, which was also owned by the Fayed family.

Diana and Dodi had planned to have dinner at Chez Benoit, a bistro in Rue Saint-Martin, but abandoned this idea due to paparazzi attention, and ended up returning to the Ritz, dining in the Imperial Suite. Shortly after midnight, the two left to head to Dodi’s apartment on Rue Arsène Houssaye and – although they had attempted to distract photographers with a decoy car – they were followed by paparazzi.

At around 12.25am, the car entered the Pont de l’Alma tunnel at high speeds in an attempt to avoid the pursuing photographers. As Associated Press reports, ‘seconds after the car enters the tunnel in the left westbound lane, it goes out of control, striking the 13th concrete pillar dividing the tunnel, rolls over and rebounds into the right wall. It then spins around. When the car stops, it is facing east – the direction it came from.’

Dodi was pronounced dead at the scene, as was the driver, Henri Paul – whom autopsy reports would later reveal was over the alcohol limit. ‘My God, what’s happened?’ Diana said, according to Sergeant Xavier Gourmelon, a firefighter on the scene. When Diana was extracted from the wreckage of the car, she went into cardiac arrest. First responders performed CPR and she, along with her bodyguard, Trevor Rees-Jones, was taken to the Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, where surgeons attempted to restart her heart.

Flowers and mourners arrived in their thousands outside Kensington Palace in the days following the funeral of Princess Diana in early September, 1997

 Jeremy Sutton-Hibbert / Alamy
Sadly, the Princess was declared dead at around 4am on 31 August, aged 36 years old. Later that day, the then Prince Charles flew to Paris with Diana’s sisters, Lady Sarah McCorquodale and Lady Jane Fellowes to bring her body home.

In 2004, Operation Paget was launched in order to investigate the circumstances that led to Diana’s death. ‘Every single aspect of conspiracy theories and the like will be looked at by my team and the coroner,’ said Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir John Stevens.

The extensive investigation involved a dozen experienced police officers, took years to complete and cost millions, according to The New York Times. The report, which was made public in December 2006, ultimately concluded that Princess Diana’s death was an accident, and maintained that there was no validity to the various conspiracy theories that had surfaced over the years.

Despite the investigation’s conclusive findings, the tragic deaths of Diana and Dodi continue to captivate public interest, nearly thirty years later. There are not yet details of when or where Who Killed Diana? will air, but this forthcoming documentary will almost certainly be a must-watch.